1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved multimedia computer systems, and in particular to systems and methods for processing multimedia applications utilizing installable compression/decompression procedures sharing such procedures among different application programs and utilizing a unique identification procedure for the compression/decompression selection procedures which selection process appears transparent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Current software that provides runtime libraries for data compression and decompression (CODEC) are either statically linked with the program before execution, or dynamically linked during execution at the request of the program. Static refers to those properties that can be established before execution of a program, whereas dynamic relates to those established during execution. Certain disadvantages are associated with either linkage. The static linkage causes a larger program size due to the duplication of CODEC routines which are identical. This obviously adversely impacts disk space and memory requirements, especially as additional CODEC methods are developed. The dynamic linkage, although saving disk space, is hardcoded for some specific library names, and therefore is limited to the existing runtime libraries.